Antidepressant-induced delirium in five of 60 (8%) patients over the age
of 45 is reported. In each case, delirium developed within two weeks of
beginning the antidepressant and appeared to be completely reversible once
the medication was discontinued. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed
basal-ganglia lesions in each patient who developed delirium. This finding
indicates that patients with basal- ganglia lesions may be more vulnerable
to antidepressant-induced delirium and is consistent with recent data from
the neurologic and psychiatric literature that implicate the basal ganglia
in the development of other types of delirium.Abstract Teaser